Mumbai: Amid demand for Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's resignation after being accused of 'corrupt malpractices', a delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders led by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Wednesday morning and submitted a memorandum requesting him to send a report to President Ram Nath Kovind on Maharashtra's current situation.
Post meeting the Governor, Fadnavis in a press conference questioned Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray for maintain silence on the political turmoil in the state.
Addressing the media, the former Chief Minister alleged that the three-party ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi alliance is neither taking any action against state home minister over corruption charges against him nor talking about it.
He went on to say that the ruling state government has lost moral ground and democratic values. "While NCP leader Sharad Pawar continues to defend the minister, Shiv Sena chief and Congress are silent over the matter. There's no moral responsibility."
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut reiterated that the Maharashtra government did not do anything wrong and ruled out Dekhmukh's resignation and his involvement in 'corrupt malpractices'.
Speaking over the Supreme Court hearing scheduled today in connection with the former Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh's plea seeking CBI probe against Deshmukh, Raut said, "Everybody knows what happens in Supreme Court hearings. Former Supreme Court Judge is a member of Rajya Sabha these days. We are not scared of CBI investigation. Chief Minister is capable of taking stern decision."
Citing the suspension of former Noida SSP Vaibhav Krishna, Raut said "he sent a rate card to Prime Minister Modi for transfer posting in Uttar Pradesh. Did Home Secretary intervene that time?" ALSO READ: Who Is Rashmi Shukla And What Is The Alleged Transfer-Posting Racket In Maha Police All About?
The MP later accused the saffron party of 'playing khela' in Maharashtra and said, 'this is tax-free entertainment in the state." He also called the Maharashtra Governor 'BJP worker'
The Supreme Court is expected to hear former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh’s plea seeking an “impartial and fair investigation” by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh whom he has accused of numerous acts of alleged corruption and criminality. A two-judge bench comprising Justices S K Kaul and R S Reddy is likely to hear the petition today (Wednesday, March 24).
The former Mumbai top cop, in his petition before the apex court also challenged his transfer to the Home Guards stating this was done in an “arbitrary and illegal” manner without the completion of the minimum fixed tenure of two years.